1. Field of Invention
The present invention generally relates to starting a digital data processor remotely via a handheld communication device.
2. Description of Related Art
After having been shut down, a computer user must perform a series of start-up operations, commonly known as boot-up, before the computer is ready for service. For purposes of this description, boot-up may include powering up the computer, and allowing access to password protected segments of the computer and its associated software and hardware systems. Conventionally, initiation of the boot-up sequence requires the user's physical presence at the computer terminal. As computers and their stored software become more complex, the boot up process tends to require an unacceptably long period time to perform the necessary operations and routines.
Computers are commonly interconnected via a network. Typically, personal computers (PCs) interface with the network by means of a network interface card, having a unique address, which is designed to continually monitor incoming packets over the network. When the network interface card detects an incoming packet containing its unique address, the network interface card will identify itself as the intended recipient of the packet.
One special purpose incoming message is known as a Magic packet. The Magic Packet is a broadcast frame having a configuration comprising a defined constant followed by sixteen repetitions of the target computers network interface card address possibly followed by a four or six bite password. A common application of Magic Packet technology is the remote commanding of computer states including waking the computer from an “off” or “hibernated” state.
A computer in a power down state may be in a “suspended power state” or a “hibernated power state.” In general a computer in a suspended power state is similar to a computer with all power removed except that power to memory is maintained and dynamic RAM (DRAM) is refreshed. In addition, the operations of the computer are held in a suspended power state for a suspend operation, whereas the system loses its current operational state on a general power down.